Ivory and Dusk
by Mama Link
Summary: Someone with such strong eyelash game caught Takumi's eye, and now he's stuck in him. Great. Probably also used for any LeoKumi drabbles I put here.
1. Chapter 1

**to be honest I have no idea what I'm doing**  
 **BUT I SHIP IT THO**  
 **I SHIP IT HAAAARRRDDD /bricked**

 **Takumi, Leon, Kamui and Orochi all belong to Nintendo! As does the Fire Emblem franchise itself. R &R if you wish!**

* * *

Takumi was always in a state of moody malcontent, yet he was Hoshido's most consummate archer — it was simple as that. Even Takumi himself knew that, and he knew he was mentally weak and just wanted recognition.

That was it: when the ivory prince was within his zone, perfecting his martial arts, formulating the most flawless strategies, or immensely diligent in his ascetic efforts to become even better, he was the center of his own universe. He trusted no one from the neighbouring country; only those native and close to him.

Until Kamui introduced someone with such strong eyelash game.

From that moment, Takumi began to slip up, disappearing into the poisonous infatuation Leon so had him wound in, like winding ivy. Around Leon, the prince took another persona: quite the charmer, one to impress, and quite the gentleman.

The reason for the persona's existence and change of heart was simple: Leon.

Ever since amber eyes held with smoky quartz, something beautiful with wings had unfolded inside of the archer. Of course, the Dark Knight had no idea what he had done, and for a while, Takumi convinced himself that he had been cursed by the prince of Nohr, but after a while (and several bowls of beef stew and games of chess that made Takumi want to commit several crimes), neither could evade the truth.

Takumi had fallen in love for the first time — let alone with a _Nohrian_ , one of his avowed enemies.

Just because eyelashes curtaining cheekbones didn't mean he immediately fell to his knees and _begged_ for Leon to go out with him — despite the temptation, as soon as he realised the beginnings of such an infatuation. He fought them as much as he was able, but when Leon was backlit by the moon outside on Orochi's birthday, he felt the stringent hold on his emotions loosen.

As Leon virtually duplicated Aqua's dark dance for Mikoto's retainer — swaying his hips in such a hypnotic rhythm Takumi couldn't get out of his mind for days, earning applause and cheers from both countries, and having the back of his cape twist around the edges of his shoulders due to a simple spin — Takumi felt his mask soften, and felt his charmer rise to the surface. The shadows of the fire danced and flickered along all of their faces, causing armour to gleam and cause unease to dissipate into nothing, with Aqua singing her dark song all the while.

But it was out in the boats on Leon's birthday where he first had to recognise them himself.

The midnight blue sky was dotted with arches of clear frost, the moon — a bright, glowing plate on a midnight blue table — coated everything with an otherwordly veil of light. His porcelain skin was glowing from the moonlight, and the ivory prince was handing him black baccara roses to let drift in the still water, laced with white and dark blue. His amber eyes followed the Dark Knight's delicate movements as he placed them in a shape with no true meaning. Takumi eyed him dreamily, gazing at him with a mixture of affection and adoration. He would never admit it, but the cinnamon sprinkle of freckles was so cute.

A reflection of a glowing orb caught Leon's attention, and the Hoshidan heard his neck cracking as he peered about, trying to find the source.

If Takumi thought Leon was attractive when he was illuminated by just moonlight, the way the light from the lanterns danced off his skin, and the smile he wore — so fairylike and magical — filched the air from Takumi's lungs.

Gone was the unstable prince of Hoshido — what remained in his stead was a young man wound into something so treasured.

Leon leaned precariously out of the boat, pointing at a lantern nearing the surface of the water. With a gentle lift of his gauntlet, he sent it soaring into the air.

When the prince of Nohr twisted back around to face the other male — the lights of the lanterns causing his armour to gleam — a chin dimple crinkled inwards as he eyed Takumi holding two lanterns in his hands, taken from their secreted spot.

The blond was pretty, yes, but with so little distance between them, Takumi is awestruck.

Smoky quartz was mixed in with honey; gold intertwining with auburn around the edge of his irises. One look into them, and you're lost — doomed for all eternity because no other eyes will ever compare. The doll-like, black lashes framing his cow eyes brush against his cheekbones, and is only a reminder of Takumi's infatuation.

His mind raced, remembering all the tides of time that had came and went and had become wasted; trying to perfect himself and not be shadowed by older siblings. With Leon, it was as if he could see the world for the first time, and in a beautiful light. Before, he saw his own flaws and what he had to perfect. Now he saw the beauty in everything, and felt the wonder and awe that Leon so rarely possessed at the world.

But now he was here, with lantern light glinting off his blond hair and the most adorable grin on his face that he noted, Takumi finally received his answer. Before, he just.. he wanted to make his siblings pale in comparison. He had only one ultimate goal, but now.. he had another set within his mind. Perfection existed, and it was right here.

When Takumi was with Leon, he was where he was meant to go.

It was as if the fog misting his mind at last lifted, and he was finally able to see things the way he was supposed to. The world was so warm and bright, and he wondered how he could have missed it all due to a weakness and a character flaw.

The focal point of his world had shifted from perfection to the Nohrian sitting across from him.

Everything he had known during his life had changed because of a sworn enemy, but he wouldn't have exchanged it for anything else. And Takumi, anyone who would was just insane.


	2. Sick

**AAAAAYYYY in case anyone actually cARES?  
** **but this is for a dear friend of mine! it is her birthday very soon so I thought I would write her some LeoKumi ; u ; this ship destroys people I swear**

 **please enjoy! I own nothing here obviously**

* * *

Even under the light cotton sheet Elise and Sakura recommend he use, still did Leon radiate heat like something just come out of the oven. Throughout the night did he tiredly moan, tossing and turning and just unable to get comfortable for the life of him. Once, Takumi was awakened by a loud thud, and went to see Leon laying on the wooden floor, tangled up in the sheet and groaning about how 'he would turn whoever got him sick into cinders'. It was bad enough Elise had ran in to see what caused the sound, and before Takumi could tell her to leave, she burst into hot, panicked tears and ran to Marx, screaming about how Leon fell on his face and died.

After hearing Sakura say nothing could be done except for Leon to ride it out, Takumi decided to take this into his own hands — yes, his siblings took care of him, but when the dusk prince was delirious from his fever, it was kind of funny. Not when Leon was cranky, though, but after Takumi took his time to take care of him, he was much like chocolate cake; so sweet.

Using his foot, Takumi kicked at the door a few times, calling out, "Hey, it's just me. I'm coming in. I brought you something."

The archer used his back to push open the heavy door, stepping into the room lit by yellow wax candles. There Leon lay on his bed, tucked underneath his sheet with a cloth over his forehead. It was positioned funny, and Takumi assumed Elise came in, threw it on his head, and left. He couldn't help the smirk that formed, and he used his foot to close the door behind him; listing for the click before stepping over.

"Are we feeling better today?"

His response was a tired murmur, and, for some reason, the ivory prince couldn't help but to look at him. His cheeks were mottled with the flush of a fever, and still does his porcelain skin glisten in a way that worries Takumi. Whatever virus threatened to poison him from within scorched his whole body, and even Kamui more than once dropped his fingers in fright, shocked by the inner furnace. His breath quivered in short, quick gasps every time he inhaled, his lungs having no choice but to painfully and rigidly take in the air around him. He couldn't seem to stop shaking either. Sometimes it was rough, other times he could manage, but at first, every time he'd get close to sleep, a new spell of violent shaking would force him awake.

Ever since Takumi began to take care of him, the shaking seemed to diminish into nothing.

"Did she just throw this on your head?" the Hoshidan asked, setting the tray on his bedside table. When he lifted the damp cloth, Leon languidly gazed at him beneath a swathe of dark lashes; the honey curls sticking to his sweaty forehead. The silk beneath his head shifts as the Nohrian nods, his eyelashes curtaining his cheekbones. The tousled mess framing his delicate features makes Takumi yearn to brush them away, but he wouldn't want Leon cursing at him.

"I'm honestly not even surprised.."

"S-She just.. she.. wanted to.. to pl—"

"You hush. You aren't supposed to be talking, and you know that," the Hoshidan avowed, his lips curving downwards as the Dark Knight attempted to speak. Leon's lower lip jutted out slightly, but it melted into an expression of bliss as Takumi helped him sit upright, using his pillows to prop him up. Leon would never say it, but he adored it whenever the Hoshidan took the job into his hands: with everyone else, the Nohrian's appetite had all but waned away, and they usually had to fetch the archer to feed him. Takumi's movements in taking care of Leon held a gentleness he hadn't felt in so long, and it gave him an unnameable comfort.

After dragging the little stool over to the side of the bed and sitting on it, Takumi affirmed, "You know the drill. Open up."

When Leon's lips parted, Takumi shoved the spoon into his mouth — ignoring the glare he received. As he swallowed, the archer watched the Nohrian's sleepy eyes light up. It tasted like tomatoes! It warmed the dusk prince up so much, and it soothed his throat.

"You like it?" Takumi asked him, smiling tenderly at the reaction. He retracted the spoon, and dipped it back into the bowl, where he waited for the spoon to stop dripping. "Pieri made it. I asked if it was blood, so you don't need to worry. She said her mom used to make it for her whenever she was sick, so she told me it would make you feel better. Plus, she said, um.. and I quote, 'Marx cares about you lots! So he sent Pieri to do this even though she already started'."

The smile gracing Leon's lips was so beautiful — Takumi immediately felt his breath escape his lungs. The way his dimples crinkle inwards make the archer want to do anything to see it every day.

"I-It's.. it's very nice.. um.. t-tell her I s-said.. thank you."

"It'd be her pleasure. You know that."

Takumi rambled on and on about mindless nonsence as he fed the blond, until Leon motioned he was full and couldn't eat anymore. The archer was hasty — but incredibly gentle — as he set the bowl aside, and tenderly helped Leon lay back down, where the Nohrian's eyelids were already fluttering. Takumi threw a quick glance over his shoulder, and using one hand to support himself on the mattress, he uses his freehand to stroke Leon's jawline in a languid rhythm, leaning down to press his forehead against the much warmer one. He swears he can hear Leon hum Aqua's song, but he finds it cute — especially as he halts when Takumi presses chaste kisses to the fluttering eyelids. Calloused fingertips tenderly tuck honey curls behind his ear, brushing away the stray, flaxen strands that curl so prettily and stick to his cheeks.

The sudden fear of losing Leon to this unknown virus bites down hard. Sakura said he would have to ride it out, but—

"T-Takumi, I'm scared."

The blond's voice is so soft — Takumi thought he was losing his mind at first, but when he recognised it as Leon's, he was quick to settle back onto the stool. His chocolate eyes flutter open, and the archer tries to calm his rapidly beating heart.

"What? Why? Leon, what are you scared of?"

When Leon's head turned to face him — the candlelight flickering and dancing, and causing the shadows to leap and dance — finally could Takumi see so much fear swirling in the depths of such enthralling eyes. The blond's hand rose slightly, and the archer grasped the hot fingers so gently with both of his hands.

"I-I.. I'm so.. _shameful_. I-I.. I'll never be.. you know, g-good enough.. I'm.. t-the 'smart sibling'. I-I'll never be.. friendly like Elise, or.. or powerful like Marx, or.. c-charming like.. Kamui. I'm.. o-only good for being 'the s-smart one'. I-I.. I hate myself.. I'm.. I'm always s-scared they won't love me.. b-because I'm not.. I'm not like them.."

Leon sounded so much like Deere right now it wasn't even funny.

The confession pouring out of the blond stunned the Hoshidan. His amber eyes flitted from the frail hand enclosed between both of his vast ones, to Leon's sorrowful expression, to the hot tears threatening to stream over his lower lashes. He lets one hand slip, and the other brings Leon's hand to his lips and there he presses tender kisses to his fingertips, allowing his lips to drift over the knuckles and veins, kissing each bone beneath the delicate translucence.

Against the dusk prince's knuckles, the archer whispers, "I don't think you're shameful, Leon. Not at all. You're a wonderful person. Your siblings are damned if they don't love you — if you let me, I'll fill in the spots they never did."

Leon's free hand was curled into a loose fist, pressed against his pale lips. Takumi felt his heart shatter as a lucid pearl dripped from his lower line of eyelashes and fell onto the sheet, but the frail grip tightened slightly. His cheeks became kissed by crimson, and Takumi smiled against his hand.

"I know what it feels like — to drift in the shadows of your siblings.. you are you, Leon. You're not just the 'smart' sibling. You're the _perfect_ sibling."

"Y-You're.. you're s-so.. _cheesy_ ," Leon murmurs, earning a laugh from the Hoshidan as he rose from the stool.

"Really? I couldn't tell."

He presses another chaste kiss to the dusk prince's hand before he reluctantly let the hand go. His hands were amazingly tender as he leans, taking extraordinary care in tucking the blond in — asking if he was comfortable, stopping to lovingly stroke the thin face — and he was about to bid the Nohrian good night before he stopped.

"W-What?"

"Hmm.. I feel like I'm forgetting something.."

Leon eyed Takumi suspiciously, becoming incredibly self-conscious and shrinking inwards as the ivory prince became mesmerised by the pretty pink face. He held constellations in his eyes, framed by thick, doll-like lashes. So desperately does Takumi want to pepper him with kisses, but it would only embarrass the sick man.

Instead, his shoulders lift and slump as he reaches over, grabbing a book from the bedside table. He sences Leon wanting to whine, or even curse at him, but he squeaks and becomes flustered as Takumi joins him in the bed. His alabaster hair splays all along the sheet and pillow, and he makes a show of becoming comfortable and opening to the first page.

"Y-You can't l-lay in.. in my bed w-with me!" the blond protests, struggling to sit up, but only being held down by the archer's hand. "Y-You'll.. you're going to g-get sick!"

"You really think I mind? Come on. I'm laying here with you, so there's no way I care about getting sick."

He leaves the Dark Knight to think of a sassy retort — and when he does, Takumi bends down, his hair flying, and he presses a simple kiss to Leon's lips. For a moment, he feels the world fall away, and he wants to become lost in the magical world of the Nohrian. But he pulls away, leaving Leon flustered and spluttering for words.

It's when Leon finally slips into the beautiful chaos of dreams that the ivory prince sets the book down, and eyes the sleeping man beside him. He nudges Leon's cheek with his nose — just to make sure — but surely, he is sound asleep. Takumi props himself up on an elbow to study the prince's face: lips parted, features softened and slack with sleep. The archer himself has always been afraid of his dreams, but now that his dreams are beside him, what else is there to dream of?

It's not long before Takumi too succumbs to the persistent sense of warm familiarity, forcing his consciousness to ebb away. It's a first, but his dreams are pure and beautiful.

When Takumi wakes up — eyes glazed over with the remnants of a dream — he's breathing, but the air won't go in, like his lungs are surrounded by metal bands. Waves of heat coursed through his blood, a cold sweat already forcing him to shiver. A glass of water was staring at him from the bedside table, but even the thought of it made the Hoshidan feel like his stomach was going to turn over.

He noticed Leon wasn't in bed. Well, he might be feeling better..

Takumi's stomach contracted so violently and so suddenly that he knew there was no way he would make it to the bathroom. He heaved over the side of the bed, and when the vast oak door groaned open, he heard the blond chirp, "Hey, it's just me! I hope you're awake. I brought you brea—"

The Dark Knight, dressed in all his armour — all in its gleaming glory — stopped as he eyed the ivory prince. Some of it still trailed from his lips, viscous and opaque. Takumi turned his head towards Leon, and his heart lept at the sight of him so pretty and pink — glowing and healthy.

All the Nohrian did was eye the vomit, set the tray down, and say, "Okay, get in the damn bed. It's my turn to play doctor for a while," before stepping towards him.

"N-Nohrian scum.."

"I told you not to do it, but oooh no. There was _no_ way you cared about getting sick.."


End file.
